FARMING & COMMERCIAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 139, 1 March 1918, Page 10

FARMING & COMMERCIAL

NEWS AND NOTRS,

:: TARANAKX SHOWi

: - : ;FiNE DISPLAY OF CATTLE ;; j:: THE PRINCIPAL AWARDS (By- Tolescapll-Spccial Correspondent.) : - ; r !CW Plymouth, February 28. nilif "'' ■ :-auaki A'; and P. Show passed ofF-MH'tkT most favourable conditions, .ind tho progressive policy adopted a j couple of years ago when the president, .Mr.-'John Coniiett, organised-the farm',m- 'forces of Taranaki is now 'having its own reward. Thp now showgrounds nre in good, condition, and splendid facilitios"'are provided for the carrying on of the association's work. In such an important dairy producing: district .as'Taranaki it was only to be expected 'that dairy cattle-.would predominate, mid.-tho three favourito breeds—Jerseys, Friesians, 'and Ayrshire?.—were very strongly represented. Jerseys !ia : d;the lead" in iwint of numbers, but it:was quite evident from the 1 big en- ' tries ■of Friesians. that the black-and-white breed is running the Jersey oloso for numerical supremacy. Tlio judge, '■• iir commenting on the Friesiaus, said / that.most of the classes were exceed- \ iucly strong, and showed uniform excclV lence throughont.. Tho v yonng 'cIaSFW were particularly .'Rood, and it was .tlttficult to separate the wnners. Ho -'■ ' would like to have seen more aged cows .shown, but the autuinn-Rhpws werai'Ot so favourable as-tho swing" shows for -■"■ exhibiting cows in milk: : Entries came freely from all over Taranaki- for tins class', Mr. Newton. KingVsilver cup/for -' most points going- for the-second year in succession to Mr. J.vW... Jardiner. Mr G. A. Merchant's aged- bull followed -up his-Ha'A-era success bv annexing- tlie championship, 'Air. \. James taking the female ohanvmonshm. , ■ In-AyrsTiires, W. :Hall and Olson Bros', were strong competitors, ■ the latter winning the points fV prize, wbioli last year was won I.V \\): Hall. .. Tlie Eg'raont village breeder .. appropriated | bothcliampionship aiulToserv";. .clmn-- ■ pioriship for tho females,; -. «• H»M. , loured reserve for bull, be'lls JjjatMi for the cnaiiimonsliip by iv. iaits Stvle of Brookside. : • ; " In; Jerseys, A. A. Ward, ? f M.ro, won t-lio silver cup; points .prize for- tlie ' second successive rear.. ~ .-'■., .So large were the sheep .entries tint ' Judging was long-delayed, .ami the appointment of an assistant nid'co.was rendered necessary: In -Ens: ish Lcicesx. ters J. H. Street,. Bell Block, won the championship. ' ' ■ ■\V B Grant had no competition in Lincolns. and he won all'the prizes. The Moore Hunter Estate 'commandeered all the principal awards in Soufhdowiis, whilst.Clelaiw liros.. ot Kaponga, won the Rdmney ..Marsh-" championship. .-'",., cm J. H. Street appropriated tho feliropshire championships. •' Some fine heavy-weights were shown in" the fat classes, first honours going , toE. A. Grecg, J. H. Street, W. I}. ' Grant, B. Honeyfield, and Colin ' M'Laren. . . ' , Pigs were' numerically stronger tiian ' last vear, but the number penned did •not come to'expectations, cnusideiJng that the pig is such a valuable sideThe horses were shown'in fine condition the competition being fair. in interesting trotting competition ■ took.place between the: veteran CJift and a new horse,. Proud Bess The decision went to the latter, but, not until the judees had a.second trial. The boys' Jersey- cow -judging competition attracted. .40 entrants, '.- the winners coming from >>evv ■ Ilymoiitli High School, as follow :-Hector Hp!den, 1;■ E.- H00ker,,,2.;.. Alexander M'Whirter,' 3. ",1a *. - : ;".'"' :

WHEAT CROP PROSPECTS

GOVERNMENT.'.CONTROLLER'S . . 'VIEWS. : ; . .

•'lf the Decembdr anticipations had been realised," said Mr. AV. G. M'Donald, the Government 'Wheat Controller, to a" "Lyttolton Times", representative, "we would have had a good carryover." Mr.'M'Donhld 'has just returned from Dunedin,audjn.conversation lie stated that" the crop prospects m South Canterbury; aro not. too good, a lot of wheat being-still in stock, wiiilo the.undergrowtn is pretty bad. The position'is rather better in the Oamaru'. district than j't ,is in South Canterbury, .while Utugo and Southland do not appear to have had as much as South-Canterbury. The lastnamed'area, ' says Mr. Mac Donald, fro mail "accounts would appear to have been, hard hit this season. The opinion in, the district is that the tanners will: be lucky if their returns come up to-last year's average. -There are conflicting; opinions as-.to how the harvest in Ashburton willpah' but. Some' yields are recorded of 35-to 40 bushels, while others-are averaging as low as 15 ■.bushels'."- It .is too'soon yot, pointed out Mr.'.'.M'Donald, to-say how the v. beat crops of the chief, grain-growing areas 'are going to turn out, but there will,probably be enough for New lami requirements, < both, for; -milling purposes-and fowl wheat.' Ho thinks there is lfardly 'any fearbf a. shortage. Mr..M!Donald stated, to a flSuii" representative that as yet he was not in possession of' definite figures as. to the yields which the grain coming forward represented, but as far as could be gathered the returns had , fallen below expectations. An estimate had been prepared and issued by' tho Government recently, in which it was reckoned '.that 7,800,000 bushels would bn secured.. This was based on an average yield of 28 bushels per acre. But eiuce this return hxd.beim compiled, from estimates given.by farmers in December, tho position in many 'instances, owing to tho bad weather, had boon materially changed. As yet there was no; cause for anxiety that the yix.'d would be insufficient for requirements. In fact, a statement mailo a few days ago at a meeting of the North Canterbury branch of the Farmers' Union by Mr. 1). Jones that Australian importations would be needed was unduly pessimistic on present indications. Mtho;igh the yield might fall from tho original estimate, there should be sufficient margin from the (i.00(),(100 bushels which the Government Statistician considered was the :iverage yearly consumption in the Dominion. Personally, ho thought that the (JovenimenL Statistician's estimate orred on the lew side, hill, even so, there should lie. 'sufficient: Inral' !»rsun for requirements. Tim quantity uf grain anticipated had not yet como forward, lml. this, no doubt, was duo to interference by the weather. The'" sohcnin of distribution was working satisfactorily. I'egarding prices for next season's "licit, he was not aware as i<) what stage the Government's consideration had reached, .or when an announcement was likely to be made.

MEETING OF TilK CO.MIITITKE.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Cfiristchurch, February 28. liV meeting of the Wheat Trade Conim/tteo was held hflre yesterday a/id tojiiv. Mr. M'Douald, Government IJleet Controller, stated 'to-night tliafc. the distribution of the last Australian wheat crop was. decided upon and the

Iwoportion which each of the southern ports is to get was allotted, figures were submitted showing that the total New Zealand crop was approximately estimated at 7,800,000 bushels, and the actual thrashing results to date showed that tho expectations woro being realised and there should be enough wheat in the country for our own requirements.

THE CATTLE TICK

FEVER... ORGANISM ABSENT

The incrcaso of the cattle tick in North Auckland is not regarded by graziers in ; other districts as'a mutter for serious concern (sa.ys the "New Zealand Herald").'.A prominent AVaikafco grazier- 'states that tlie tick hits been known to exist in this country for a good many years, but as long as the organism of tisk fever is not in the country littlo trouble is to be apprehended from tlie parasite. The fact that tho tick was more than usually trotihleiiontc in tlio uorfji this season, he said, might be due t<j the. excessive rainfall, but reasonable care on the part of stock owners should easily overcome the trouble. A change of pasture.for the infected animals, and . the 'cultivation or burning off of the paddock in which the animals had been grazing,' lie said, would check . the spread of tlio pest. Even the shutting up of the paddock for a time would probably make it clean, as the parasite required a host in order io propagate. .Regarding the remedial measures that had been suggested I by the officers of the Department of Agriculture, lie said that the spraying of itifertal ■animals- with Stockholm tar could- be readily accomplished , iii tho en so of tame eattle, but in, dipping there would be a. risk of poisoning the animals, as he understood that an arsenic dip was lequired to kill the parasite. As. to the necessity for action by the Government 1 Department to eliminate the tick, he said that presumably the only action the Government could take would be to frame regulations controlling the movement of stock in infected areas, and compel stock owners to carry out such remedial incisures as were thought necessary. • Ho expressed the opinion that if the graziers themselves the initiative, "and exercised reasonable ■care in keeping their pastures clean, there would bo no necessity for official action.

HARVESTING IN THE SOUTH

Tho conditions in North Olago last week were favourable tor the prosecution of harvest work, and in ail directions fanners were busy, Unig hours being worked in order to get tne crops into "a position of safety. was completed some time since, unci koiv tho thrashing mills have been kept going consistently; but the mill-power has not ( uecn equal to the demand, and iv very considerable quantity »i both wheat and oats is being put into stack. When tho recent rain came.it caught a good deal of grain )« tho fields, and where the ears were on the ground, the hot muggy weather, added to the moisture, caused a sprouting, in some fields, but the injury in that direction bus not'been so had as- might have 'been anticipated,' and if the weather remains favourable .the grain generally will he got into.the bag in good condition. In a number of cases the work of gathering the. harvest lias been laborious and attended with considerable , difficulty owing to the crops, both of wheat and oats, having been flattened into a tangled mass. In many such cases yields will be affected to ncnie extent owing to loss of -rraiii in the ingathering. As to yields, no definite information, is available -(states the Oaniaru "Mail"), but '■ tlio general experience . may he classed as fair, though. the output of, grain will not correspond with the bulk of straw.

WHOLESALE PRODUCE PRICES

Messrs. Laery- and Company, Ltd., i\,iltti Street, report wholesale prices iia follow: —I'eed barley, ss. 6d. per Lasliel; maize, feed, 7s. per. bushel; crushed maize, 7s. 4d. per bushel'; oats, seed, machine dressed, os. per bushel; oats, seed, 4s. 9d. to 4s. lfltl. per bushel; oats, Dun, 4s. lOcl. to ss. per bushel; chaff, osit sheaf, £9 to £9 10s. per ton, sacks in; hay, meadow, £5 10s. per ton; flour, in sacks. £16 10s. per ton; Cowslip calf meal, lflO's, US) 10s. per ton; oatmeal, 2a's : £22 per ton; butter (pound pats), Is. to Is. 'In. per lb.; butter (prime bulk), Is. Id.'to Is. 2d. per lb.; eggs, fresh, Is. lOii. to 2s. 3d. per doz.; beeswax, Is. od. per lb.; bacon (all best factory), sides lSj 2d. per lb.. rolls Is. 3d per lb., hams Is. 3d. per lb.. shoulders, Is. per !b.; cheese (factory), medium I lid. to 10 jd. per lb.; Unseed meal, 100's, £12 10s. per ton;'rice meah £8 to £8 10s.;. onions, £S per ton; pota-'μ-s: local choice £?to .£9 per ton; good £6 per ton, Canterbury grown £6 10s. to £7,. sacks included; fowls, 3s. to os. per pair; ducks, ss. to Bs. per pair: turkeys (dead weight), 10d. to Is. , 2(1.. per lh.; dressed pork (choice),' 70V to 90's, Bjd. per lb.; &0V to ,100's, Sd. p?r lb.; bacon pigs, choice,■ 7id. to. Bd...pe* lb.; choppe ,, " (heavy), sd. to 6d. .por l>.. . ' .

LIVE STOCK SALES

The Wnirarapa Formers' Co-operative Association. Ltd.. aloclc department, report as under :-Co]umba Road saleyards: Wβ offered a .good yarding of sheep, iiicludincr about 15C0 ewes, in behalf of Annedalc Station. I'iig-fraiiied and very fair condi t : ioneil Ehcep which met a very satisfnetcrj market, and quote at under.—Pour-lootli maiden ewes, 355. 4d ; four-year owee 'Aiiiiedal»), Zl\s. 6i].; Hv'e-year ewfs (Aimedale), 255. 6d.; four-year -and over c»™s (Annedale), 245. M.; a line of 600 b.f. lambs, the hulk of which were in very fair condition, were certainly reasonable at t's. We ofl'cred a moderate entry of cattle, only cigliteen-monl'i utecrn made £f> 17fi.; fat cowe. £12 l(js. to £13 135.; and weuners. 20s. to 30a.

Jfessrs. Levin and Co. report :—Hnvor« wen; in i» force mid bidding fnr th<> im>in linen was animaled «t thi> niairlogic Bait. A few pens were paeaed at iiucition, but, wo had no difficulty in quitting these privately, and a total clear-ani-e- was made of both slmep mid cattle. Prices obtained were in advance of those ruling, !iii(l must be considered highly sat. isfactory to the various vendors. The cattle beins; station-bred and o' good quality elicited keen competition, nut] nrices ruled high. Qitut.ntione: —On account lE. I). M. Morrifoii. tuur-looth wethers. 3<K, 28h.; cull two-taoUi wethers, 255. : four-year ewes, 31b. 6d.. 20n.; cull two-tooth ewes, 205.: five-yeur cwen, 23». 6'i.: cull six-tnolh ewes, ZOs. 6d.; cull, four-tooth ewes, ZOs.: store laniljs, 5». M., cull do.. (*.: f.ni. Itoiniiey rams, Sens.; fat, bullockn. £18 7s. 6d.; tliree. year off biiliocki. £17-. Iwo-vear ciff stcern, £15; one-year off steers. £12 12s. 6(1.; on account H. Morrixun, two-year olf ntcers, £15; on account Grove Di'ok., four and fiveyear Lincoln orons ewes. 31b. 3d.; do. 'Roinney cron!', 275.; on account N. Jl'K'ay. fnl ewes. 325. 6iJ.: four and livivycii r ewes. ZBh. 6d.; on siccouut '1 , . Ciippa, tivo-tootb wethor.-;. 2Ss.: on iia-ount J. Henderson, five-year ewes. 2,1k.

Messrs. Abraham and Wiilininf. T.1i1., report :-• On Fobniary 27 «■« held «, clearing sale on account of Uio executors of the estate of the late (j. N. Wood. Shannon. There was a largu niul rvprcEentiitive attcndiincc of [urmcrH. and th , ; Hale waa a pronounced succena. The cattle were a well-bred lot of purnbred filiorUiorhfl, , lor whiuli there was npirited coiitjißtition, and liich prices wore obtained fur tho viiriotiE hie offered. The sheep oii.thc ivholi- wtr of medium quality only, and brought full market values. Tho following wore noiiie of the prices real iced :-Shorthorii breodine cows. £!5 to £16; S.IT, cows and small calves, £14 7s. fid.; (hree-jeai S.lf. bulls. £20 to £30 10s.: others, £15 5-. to £18: aired hulls. £7 10s. to £14: two nnri a liaC-vcur S.H. heifers. £19 10s.: fwo-yrar S.ll. hoifors. £17 155.; ei'liten-nioiitb S.H. heifers, £10 55.: fifteen-month B.JTI. heifers, £12 10s.; ordinary two-year heifers, £8: two ami a, half-year steers, £13 55.; fiftccu-month

et(.'«ra (poor), £7 65.; wcaner 8.11. heifere, £14 5a.; S.U. calves. £8 5b.; weanor fi.'ll. bulls, £11 10s. to £18; bull calves, £6 10s. to £11 10s.; fat wethers, 345. 9d.; fat ewos, 32a. 10d.; four-tooth to f.f.ni. brecilintr ewes, 293.; f.ni. ewes, 195.1 d.; cull ewes, 95.; two and four-tooth wethers (sinall), 275. 3i1.; email two-tooth ewes, 265.; ere lambß, 15b 11(1.; wether lambs, 16s. 4d.; icull lambs, Bs. 10(1.; cull rains, 15s. to 30s.

COMMERCIAL ITEMS

INVESTMENT SHARES, Yesterday's quotations lor investment shares were as follow.— Buyers. Seller*. ,6 f. (1. £ s. d.. National Bank 5 7 0 - Hunk N. 7.. (old) — 12 9 ° Loan & Mercantile (ord.) 81 10 0 ' - N.SS. and Uivor Plate ... 1 16 6 Well. Deposit 0 7 0 - National Insurance 3 0 0 3 1 fl N.Z. Insurance 8 9 0 8 12 0 Rear Mm*. (£1) 4 16 $ ~ Auckland Trams (0rd.)... 10 6 - Tlninn Steam (ord.) o 2 6 — Union Steam (nrrf.) 1 t 0 — W>lt. Woollen (nnl.l 6 15 J "fpll. Woollen (|)rcf.) ... 4 5 0 - Tarifiganiutu Tolara ... — 1 o 0 N.Z. I'ancr Mills II 19 X ?t.nrt n ,n<l'« ',vd.) 17' V.K.C.A. (pref.) 10 0,f]ii.«lom ilulics collected p.t Hie port of Wellington yesterday amounted to X6J3l6s. MKTROPOIiITAN BUILDING SOCIKTY. Tii tlio twenty-seventh annual report of the directors of the Metropolitan Permanent BuildiOß and Investment Sonielj the directors recommend , tnnt tho uoiial dlelrlbution of profits at, the rato of 7 nor cent, per an mini be made, and tna a further sum of £1000 .be added to the r»nerve fi'-'d. which will then stand *t £13.000. The profits for the year, including a balance of £573 Is. lid. broiißW forward from last, year, amount to £5508 10». 5d... 1C33 expenses account fM 7s. 6d.. leaving a net profit of £43.1 2s. lid., less interim d'v'dond for six monthfl ended August.' 1917 £1050. lcavinp a balanco of £3801 2s. Ltd., which it is oropoEed to appropriate ■ ae followst-To pred.t.holders "B" investment unarm at i ncr crni. for twelve months ended February 15. 1513, £1080 12b. «!.: to peyment. of divide™ at u nor rent. for.six months ended >ebruirv IS 1918 lo holders of "A" £10 share*, £1050:'tcI werve fund, £1000^£3Wf. Hj. M ; to carry forward to next, year, £470 10s. 5(1.

NEW SOUTH WAIjES WHEAT. Bγ Teleswh-Prps" Associati"n-CoDyrisht Sydney, February 27., The f.a.ci. standard for wheat in New South Wales has'been fixed at 58J pounds.I'rcsß Assn. .

HAMS'AND BACON'. (Rec. February 28, 10.10 p.m.) - '' Sydnoyi February 23Tlio wholesale prices of Australian and New Zealand hams in cloth luib been fixed at Iβ. 45d., in seed la. Sid., bacon sides Is. Id., iliteheala. o>d., middles Is. ers lid. The retail pra'o will be J.'.u. hiclier.—Press Assn. ~

(Rc«.-March 1. 0.35 a.m.) Sydney, February 23. Oats.-Algerian. feeding. 3s. 3d.; milling, 3s. 4d., 3s. 6d.; Tasnmnian. *. 4b, sd. Barley-Cape, malting, 45., 4s. ia. Maize.-ss. AA., sb. «d. Potatoee.—Taamaman, £4 10s.. i,l lUs. Ouions.-£7.£7.lo Sao(a|t|(i|Fel)riiary2B| Oats.-2s. 10d.,'35.

MINING NEWS

WEIiTNGTCN'SHARE HACKET. The quotations yesterday for mining shares were as under:£s. d. £s. d. Talisman ■■■ ~ °J ffaihi 1" 6

" GINGER "

THAT GLOWING TOUCH ol<' SENTIMENT. (By "Sylvius.") He was not 'twenty years of age—lie was not many weeks more than nineteen, as a matter of fact—but ho had the blood of Irish soldiers i" his veins, and that meant that lie loft \Vollineton harbour in an ugly grey vessei one wet, (irmly day for the field of dory, tin was called "Ginger" by his intimates, iiulmrii by his mother, and "Carrots by his enemies, hut the Titian tono of his fine shock of curly hair found a warm reflection in the breast of the k.d. . . - He knew thai his grandfather liad crossed oceans to light for the old Queen,'and "all the King's horses and nil the King's men" were not going to prevent the lad from repressing those oceans, jind "having a go" at tho B\ins on the most historic battlefield of the world. Before lie left he called iidou Ins.old grand-dad, to say "Good-bye. , Tiiotiah hard-pressed to take many things that would he ouite out of place and useless on a transjwrt or in camp, he could only be pervaded to accept two little mementoes: a -leather belt with the buckle of his grandfather's oid regiment, the 14th (P.oyal Irish), attached, and his grandfather's Maori War Medal. At Sling it was said that "ttimrer Pat" was the only lad the harkin , ' sergeant-majors would allow to itm a belt buckle.that was not strictly the correct one. and rven after they carried him back from the battlcfront, shot through the limps, he asked them Wrsel.v'to look after his belt. . . . He pulled through at last. Wlion lie vent through bis offsets in .the nld k:tU", a queer, cold fooling crept through li:s%naciat«l flesh—the old Maori AV.ir Medsl was gone. Some unprincipled do" had felt the roundness and tue hardness of it—and it was gone. The bo.}— he' was little else—hardly know n-jiother to blaze into a black Emiisrwrthy or to have a good cry. .. . . T.ikp.'a wise boy, "Ringer" chose tlm litter, and never had tho pluck to tell anyone of his sickening loss, until the .qiushine and breezes of a New Zealand piiinmer-time brought the. flame ot With back to his chesks, and the curls l;nd obscured all siens of the military shears.